deadmau5 has sold his catalogue to Create Music Group for $55 million. The deal also means Create acquires the rights to the mau5trap Records catalogue, meaning the company now owns more than 4,000 new songs in total.
The deal also marks the beginning of a new partnership between Create Music Group and deadmau5 – real name Joel Zimmerman – who will work together on future deadmau5 records and mau5trap label releases.
The deal means that CMG now owns all of Zimmerman’s musical work over the past 26 years, from hits like Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff and Strobe to the 2013 Grammy-nominated Album Title Goes Here.
Equally, the acquiring of mau5trap also means CMG owns rights to the label’s entire catalogue. In 2017, Mixmag readers voted mau5trap among the Top 50 Labels of the Decade, placing it at number 9. That means the company now holds stakes in a plethora of electronic records.
For example, mau5trap was an early supporter of Skrillex, releasing the producer’s second EP, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites. CMG now owns copyrights for the record, as well as other records like Rezz’s 2017 debut record, Mass Manipulation.
Speaking about the deal, deadmau5 says: “I have worked closely with Jonathan [Strauss, CEO of CMG] and Alex [Williams, COO of CMG] for nearly two decades now, building my own career as well as the artists on mau5trap. We didn’t need to look far when we were considering a partner to help get it all to the next level. With Create, I feel the music is going to reach more.”
Strauss is equally as enthusiastic about acquiring the deadmau5 brand. “When deadmau5 put on that helmet, he didn’t just create a brand – he sparked a movement,” he says. “His vision redefined electronic music, pushing boundaries and reshaping the industry.”
“Now, as the stewards of deadmau5 and mau5trap’s legendary catalogue, we inherit a legacy that changed music forever. Joel’s influence reaches far beyond sound – his mastery bridges music, gaming, and technology, inspiring a new generation to think bigger. This is more than an acquisition; it’s a responsibility.”
Looking forward, the plan is to expand and build upon the deadmaus5 and mau5trap legacy. Plans are in the works for CMG and Zimmerman to work together on remastering and re-releasing key deadmau5 records, as well as launching exclusive new content across a range of platforms.
There will also be discussions surrounding new collaborative work, brand partnerships and ventures into gaming. What with Zimmerman’s proven love of glitch music and video games, with tracks like Professional Griefers making it onto FIFA 13’s soundtrack, it only makes sense that he involves himself in more gaming projects. CMG even hint at VR as a potential avenue of interest.
